His Highness Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Chairman of the Presidential Court for Development Affairs and Martyrs’ Families, and Chairman of the International Humanitarian Affairs Council, affirmed the UAE’s commitment to reducing the effects of pollution at the local and global levels, in line with achieving the global goals for sustainable development, especially in the field of eliminating plastic pollution in waterways.
His Highness’s statement comes within the framework of signing a cooperation and strategic partnership agreement between the global non-profit organization “Clean Rivers”, headquartered in Abu Dhabi, and the United Nations Development Program office in the capital, Jakarta, with the aim of reducing river pollution in the Republic of Indonesia.
The partnership aims to remove 5,000 tons of plastic waste annually from the banks of six river areas, by implementing the necessary preventive measures to prevent future pollution, such as establishing the principle of recycling, which will be implemented over the next three years.
Under this partnership, Clean Rivers will provide the necessary funding to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to finance this project. This donation is part of the $20 million pledged by the UAE to support the efforts of the Indonesian government to solve the problem of plastic pollution, which comes within the framework of the partnership agreement signed between Clean Rivers and the United Nations Development Programme on the sidelines of the Indonesia International Sustainability Forum 2024, which was held this year in Jakarta.
Under this partnership, UNDP will leverage Clean Rivers grants to collaborate with stakeholders who share the vision of reducing the release of plastic waste into seas and rivers.
The collaboration includes a number of local NGOs, government agencies and local communities who will focus their efforts on enhancing plastic waste removal, establishing recycling methods, and empowering Indonesian communities through launching awareness campaigns targeting residents of these areas. These tasks are in line with the Foundation’s main mission, which seeks to adopt community-based solutions to reduce and combat plastic pollution at the source, and build resilient economic systems capable of protecting the environment while preserving the quality of life of these communities.
Beneficiary rivers
The rivers that will benefit from this funding include the Kali and Bekasi Rivers in West Java, the Kali Mas River in East Java, the Borung River in East Java, the Solo River in Central Java, and the Tukad Mati and Tukad Badung Rivers in Bali. UNDP will work with local authorities, NGOs and community initiatives to ensure that waste management systems are designed to meet the specific needs of each river, taking into account the needs and requirements of the communities surrounding these rivers.
Climate Challenges
In a related context, Her Excellency Dr. Amna bint Abdullah Al Dahhak, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, stressed that with millions of tons of plastic entering the world’s oceans every year, it is imperative that countries work together to address this challenge on a global scale. The UAE has long advocated for collaborative action to address climate challenges around the world and has taken a clear approach to the issue of waste entering global waterways, based on our commitment to reducing and managing it effectively.
Her Excellency said that waste management is an effective means to enhance the circular economy and drive sustainable growth efforts in the world. This issue is of great importance in the global south, and Indonesia is one of the UAE’s most important partners in confronting climate change. We have undertaken many joint projects aimed at protecting the planet and achieving a more sustainable future for all.
Dr. Al Dhaheri added that the partnership between Clean Rivers Foundation and the United Nations Development Programme is in line with the existing memorandum of understanding between the UAE and Indonesia, as we seek through this cooperation to support Indonesia in reducing the leakage of plastic waste into the oceans. The step represents the launch of the UAE’s ongoing efforts to contribute to addressing the issue of plastic pollution of waterways in Indonesia.
Environmental benefits
“We are working to ensure that this cooperation will bring many environmental and development benefits to the friendly people of Indonesia,” she said. For her part, Nani Hendiarti, Deputy Coordinating Minister for Forestry and Environmental Management at the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Investment of the Republic of Indonesia, said that her country has taken many great steps in combating plastic pollution in recent years, but there are still many challenges that we must face and overcome.
She stressed that the partnership we have concluded with the Clean Rivers Foundation and the UAE will add significant support to our ongoing efforts to empower local NGOs and communities to strengthen the impact they aim to leave. Through our joint efforts together, we will be able to protect our rivers and oceans, improve the quality of life in our communities, and preserve the environment for future generations to come.
The first step
“Our partnership with UNDP marks the beginning of our major mission to reduce plastic pollution in Indonesian rivers and protect our oceans,” said Deborah Bakos, CEO of Clean Rivers Foundation. “By working with local organizations and communities in Java and Bali, we are not only eliminating plastic waste, but also creating sustainable systems that will prevent further pollution in the future and encourage long-term environmental management.”
ambitious goal
“Indonesia has an ambitious target of reducing plastic waste by 70% by 2025, and we are just one year away from that target,” said Suyala Pant, UNDP Deputy Resident Representative in Indonesia. “It is imperative that we build collaboration across decision-making levels, something UNDP is working to achieve around the world, and we are committed to supporting the Indonesian government in accelerating its actions to achieve this goal.”
It is worth noting that the Clean Rivers Foundation was announced as an implementing partner under the Memorandum of Understanding signed in April 2024 between the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment and the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Investment of the Republic of Indonesia. This commitment embodies the spirit of the Zayed Humanitarian Legacy Initiative, which aims to distribute $5.45 billion over the next ten years to accelerate the achievement of global development goals.
The initiative will primarily focus on supporting low- and middle-income communities around the world in areas including education, health, environment, food security and humanitarian response.
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